Toy rifle



J. H. WEIMER Oct. 28, 1958 TOY RIFLE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 1. 1956 IN VENTOF JOHN .WEIMER ATTORNEY J. H. WEIMER Oct. 28, 1958 TOY RIFLE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 1, 1956 INVENTOR JOHN H WEIMER J. H. WEIMER Oct. 28, 1958 TOY RIFLE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 1, 1956 INVENTOR JOHN H. WEIMER Oct. 28, 1958 I J. H. WEIMER TOY RIFLE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 1, 1956 JOHN H. WEIMER 2,857,699 Patented Oct. 28, 1958 ice 1 TOY RIFLE John H. Weimer, Manheim, Pa., assignor to The Hubley Manufacturing Company, Lancaster, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application August 1, 1956, Serial No. 601,513 2 Claims. 01. 42-51 This invention relates to an improvement in toy rifles, and more particularly to a rifle of the lever operated type.

Heretofore cap detonating rifles have had the hammer and anvil close to the stock, and in many cases the explosion of the cap would throw debris in the face of the user.

Accordingly, one of the objects of the invention is to provide a construction wherein the anvil is located a substantial distance from the location of the hammer. This feature is accomplished by a slide which, upon manipulation of the lever in one direction, cocks the hammer and then moves toward the anvil. That is to say, the slide is moved backwardly by the lever at the time the cap tape is fed between the anvil and the front end of the slide, and, when the lever is released the slide is spring urged forwardly to clamp the cap between the anvil and its front end. The hammer which is cocked by the outward manipulation of the lever remains in its cocked position until it is released by the trigger. Thus, the hammer strikes the rear end of the slide to give the necessary percussive force to detonate the cap held between the front end of the slide and the anvil.

Another object of the invention is to provide a normally closed cap holding magazine which is released to open loading position by manipulation of a push button conveniently located at the forward end of the stock.

A further object of the invention is to provide the rear end of the receiver with a tapered formation to receive a mating tapered socket on the stock, whereby when a fastening, such as a screw, is properly inserted and turned the stock will be firmly drawn onto the mechanism supporting body.

With the above and other objects in View which will more readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated and claimed.

A preferred and practical embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a detail view of the complete rifle.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail perspective view of the operating mechanism in its at rest position.

Fig. 3 is a view of the parts shown in Fig. 2 as the lever is moved outwardly tocock the hammer through the movement of the slide and showing the relation of the cap tape engaging arm at the beginning of its feeding stroke.

Fig. 4 is a view illustrating the lever returned to the normal position of Fig. 2, with the slide moved forwardly and its front end in position to clampingly engage a cap while the hammer remains cocked ready for release by manipulation of the trigger. This view also shows the magazine open, although it will be understood that the said magazine is only opened for re-loading and usually only when the hammer is in the dotted line position.

Fig. 5 is a detail cross sectional view on line 5- -5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a detail view illustrating the application of the invention to a pump action rifle.

Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view showing a modification wherein the slide bolt can be adapted to a bolt action rifle.

Fig. 8 is a detail cross section on the line 88 of Fig. 7.

Similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

As will be observed from Fig. l, the toy gun includes the simulated barrel I mounted on the receiver or mechanism supporting member 2, the lever 3 pivoted at 4 to an offset portion of the receiver 2, and the main stock S,

connected with the receiver in a manner later to be described.

Referring more particularly to the receiver, it will, of course, be understood that the same consists of longitudinally divided sections which are held together by suitable screws, in accordance with practice well known in the art, while the operating and actuating mechanism is housed within a chamber formed between the said sections.

As will be seen from Fig. 2, which shows the parts in the normal at rest position, there is provided an anvil 5 located relatively remote from the rear end of the receiver and an elongated slide block 6 whose front end 7 provides a detonating head which cooperates with the anvil 5 to detonate caps. The rear end 8 of the slide presents a hammer blow receiving face cooperating with the head 9 of a hammer 10 pivotally supported at 11 and stressed to move forwardly by spring 12.

The shank of the hammer is provided with a shoulder 13 intended to be engaged by the shoulder 14 of the,

lever 15 which includes a finger engaging trigger 16. The lever-trigger is pivoted at 17 within the chamber formed by the mating sections of the receiver, and is normally spring-biased to its at rest position by a spring 18. When the hammer is in the cocked position shown by full lines in Figs. 3 and 4, it will be understood that the shoulders 13 and 14 engage to maintain the hammer poised against the influence of springs 12 and 18, the spring 12 being stronger than spring 18.

The slide 6 is provided in the opposite sides thereof with guide ribs 6* which slide in the channels 6 formed inwardly of the side edges of the top portions of the sections which form the receiver.

The elongated slide 6, when at rest, spans the distance between the anvil 5 and the forward limit of the hammer head 9 and is provided at its under-side with the medially dependent abutment arm 19. The slide 6 is also provided with a lug 20 connected with spring 21 which in turn is connected to pin 22 thereby to urge the slide forwardly, that is, toward the anvil 5 after it has cocked the hammer 10.

It will, therefore, be understood that aside from making the cap detonating zone remote from the hammer, the slide also constitutes the means for cocking or setting the hammer in detonating position.

The slide is moved backwardly or outwardly to hammer cocking position by the interior arm 23 of lever 3. The upper portion of said arm engages the forward face of the abutment lug 19. The arm 23 is actually one arm of an integral bell crank lever pivoted at 24 and having itsother or outer arm of substantially double looped formation 25 and 26 to provide a trigger loop 16 and the hand gripping loop 26. It is to be noted that the trigger 16 projects through a slot 25 in one side of the loop 25.

The arm 23 which moves with loops 2526 of lever 3 carries a tape feeding finger 27 pivoted thereto at 28 while its forward end 29 is in cap feeding relation to the wall 30 of a cap magazine M. The cap tape feeding finger 27 is spring-biased in a counterclockwise direction by the'arms of a suitable spring 27 whose medial portionis coiled about-pivot-28.

The magazine M is of substantially triangular shape and has its apical portion pivotally supported on the stud 31. The magazineincludes anouter" wall 32 having an offset forward end -'33" which acts as an inwardly limiting stop to properly set the tape feeding wall-'30 in relation to the'tape feeding finger 27 when the magazine is in the position shown in Fig. 2.

The body of the magazine is provided with a post 34 for receiving a roll of tape, the free end of said tape being manually passed over the wall 30 and beneath the free curved edge of spring 30* whichproperly conditions the tape for engagement by the end 29 of the tape feeding arm.

The magazine M is biased to open position about stud 31 by spring 30 and is released by pushing the outer exposed head of a latch barrel 35. This barrel has a radially offset latch 36 at its inner end and is located in a socket 37. A spring 38 is disposed between the bottom of the socket and the inner end' of barrel so that when the exposed head of the barrel is manually pressed 'to shift the same on its longitudinal axis, the latch 36 will be moved out of the keeper 39 on the magazine and permit the latter to move outwardly to loading position.

The mating tail portions of the receiver are, as previously indicated, when secured together, tapered so that the extremities thereof are smaller than the portion nearest the hammer. This tapered portion is designated generally as 40, and as will be seen from Fig. 2, is provided with matching depressions forming'an angular socket 41 which receives an angular nut 42 acting as an anchor for a screw 43 to secure the tapered socket portion of the stock S to the receiver. This arrangement, namely the screw 43 and nut 42, as Well as the mating taper 40 of the mechanism supporting sections and the taper 40 of the stock assure that the latter will be forced in wedge tight contact so that the stock and mechanism supporting portion are always firmly held together, and yet if need be, may be readily separated by removing the screw 43.

The description of operation is as follows:

Assuming that it is desired to load the magazine M, the exposed head portion of the latch barrel 35 is pressed to disengage 36 from 39 and the magazine swings open to the position shown in Fig. 4. A roll of tape may then be placed on the post 34 and fed between the wall 30 and the spring 30 It will, of course, be understood that the wall 30 alines with the detonating face of the anvil 5 so that when the tape is moved by the free end 29 of finger 27 on its return stroke, a cap is moved into detonating position between the anvil 5 and the end 7 of the sliding block or bolt 6.

In order to cock the hammer to detonating position and move the tape feeding arm 27 to pick up the tape, the lever 3 including loops 2526 is swung on pivot 24 so that the block actuating and tape controlling arm 23 moves the cap feeding finger 27 and simultaneously engages lug 19 on the slide and moves the latter backwardly to cock the hammer 10. When the hammer is cocked the trigger 16 is held in its forward position because of theengagement of shoulders 13 and 14.

As the lever 3, whose outer arm includes loops 25-26, is returned to normal position, spring 21 causes slide 6 to move forwardwith the arm 23 of the lever, but the hammer remains cocked. The front end 7 of the slide will therefore be softly pressed against the cap on the anvil but not with suflicient force to detonate it. To accomplish the latter the trigger 16 must be pulled to release the hammer so that its head 9 strikes the rear end 8 of the slide. The force of the hammer blow against the end 8 of the slide 6 detonates the cap, and in order to bring a new cap into position the lever 3 including loops 23, 25 -26 is rocked on its pivot 24 to trail the tape feeding arm on its back stroke to pickup the-next cap which is prevented from retrograde movement by spring 30*, and at the same time, moves the slide 6 rearwardly to cock the hammer.

It will, of course, be understood that the foregoing cycle of operation is repeated as desired.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the distinctive feature of the present invention is the provision of the slide 6 which performs the dual function of detonating the caps at one end and cocking the hammer at the other. The hammer and the slide have no mechanical connections except that the slide is intended to receive percussive force from the hammer head 9 to detonate the cap.

The means illustrated for actuating the slide 6 is in the form of a lever 3. However, it will of course be understood that it is within the scope of the invention to actuate the slide 6 by other means to simulate a pump gun or a boltgun.

'For example, as shown in Figs. 6 and 8, the slide'is in the form of a bolt 6*, mounted in the same manner for sliding movement as the bolt 6 of Figs. 1 to 5. The hammer-10 and trigger arrangement 16 is also the same as in the figures mentioned. However, the sliding bolt 6 is provided with 21 depending lug 19 whose lower end is pivotally connected at 40 with a link 41 connected at 42 with a sliding forearm'43. That is to say, the forward end of the link 41 is connected by cross-pin 42 to the opposite'inner sides of the troughed portion of the forearm 43. The cross-pin 42 is slidable in the slot 44 of the'lowest barrel. The end of the slidable forearm nearest the stock is provided with a recess 45 which enables the forearm to telescope over the end of the receiver in its rearward movement to provide sufficient movement of 'the link'41 to cause the lug 19 to move the bolt -6 In this form, when it is desired to cock the hammer 10*, it is simply necessary to pull the forearm 43 rearwardly, that-is, toward the stock, and the link 41 will impart the necessary movement to the sliding bolt. After the hammer is cocked, the forearm 43 may be moved forward either manually, or by the forward movement of'the bolt when the hammer is released by the trigger. In Fig. 6, the magazine and the tape feeding means are the same as that disclosed in Figs. 1 to 5.

Fig. 7 shows the slide in the form of a sliding bolt 6 having an operators handle 46. This bolt has a depending arm 19 which pivotally supports the tape feeding finger 27 as indicated at 47. The bolt'6 is biased toward the anvil 5 by a spring 21* connected with post 20 at one end and having its other end connected with a post which is the equivalent of 22 in Fig. 2. When it is desired to cock the hammer of a toy rifle including the bolt of Fig. 8, it is simply necessary to grasp the handle 46 and pull the bolt 6 rearwardly in the same fashion that the arm 23 effects the same movement of the bolt 6 in Fig. 2. The trigger mechanism in this embodiment will be the same as in Fig. 2. The tape feeding finger 27 will move over the tape feeding wall 30 in the same fashion as in Fig. 2.

I claim:

1. A toy rifle including, in combination, a receiver, a barrel mounted on the receiver, and an anvil substantially at the junction of the barrel and receiver, a hammer on the receiver remote from the anvil, a trigger for the hammer, a block slidable in the receiver between the anvil and the hammer and having its top portion disposed outwardly of the related edge of the receiver to be visible throughout its length to indicate the firing status of the rifle and also having its front end in detonating relation to the anvil, a magazine of substantially triangular formation having its apical portion pivoted in the receiver below the anvil, a tape feeding wall on the magazine alined with the anvil when the magazine is in closed position, a bell crank type lever pivoted in the receiver, t rior and, exterior arms on the lever, a tape feeding finger pivoted to said interior arm and spring biased toward said tape feeding wall, said lever when manually moved by its exterior arm causing the interior arm to actuate the block to cock the hammer and move the tape feeding finger, a keeper portion on the magazine opposite its point of pivotal mounting, a spring latch for the keeper carried by a barrel portion whose outer end is exposed at one side of the receiver, and a closure Wall on the magazine and having limiting stop to hold the magazine in tape feeding position when the latch and keeper are engaged. v

2. A toy rifle including, in combination, a receiver having inner opposite wall portions provided with grooves, a barrel mounted on the receiver, an anvil substantially at the junction of the barrel and receiver, an elongated block having a rib at each side thereof extending substantially throughout the length of the block for sliding movement in related grooves of the receiver, said block having an outer portion disposed above the related edge of the receiver and exposed throughout its length for visual observation to provide animation in preparation of the rifle for detonating caps, an abutment arm depending from the inner side of the medial portion of said block, a hammer at the end of the block opposite the anvil, a lever pivoted in the receiver and having a manually manipulatable outer arm and an inner arm for engaging the front side of said abutment arm, a lug also on the underside of the block, a pin within the receiver and below the block, a spring connection between said lug and pin to maintain the forward end of the block in contact with the anvil and to also maintain an abutment arm of said block in contact with the inner arm of said lever, a trigger in the receiver spring biased toward the hammer, and trigger means for releasing the hammer against the force of the spring mounted between the lug and pin to urge the block to firing position toward the anvil.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

